Territory backlash at Nova Peris endorsement

By Clare Rawlison

Territory politicians have signalled Nova Peris will have a hard time securing the Labor party's support when she returns to the Northern Territory, as anger flares around the Prime Minister's Senate endorsement of the former Olympian.

The Prime Minister yesterday circumvented party process by asking the national executive to sign off on her endorsement of Nova Peris as the ALP's candidate for the senate in this year's Federal election.

The decision sparked a backlash from current Labor Senator Trish Crossin and former Territory Labor MLA Marion Scrymgour, who hoped to run for the Senate.

The Prime Minister's endorsement openly highlighted her desire to have an Indigenous person in the ALP, but for Ms Scrymgour - also an Indigenous woman - it was unclear why she had not been given a chance to contest the position.

"I think the views I do have in relation to (Stronger Futures and the Intervention) vindicate me in this process," she told Julia Christensen on 105.7 Breakfast.

"If Canberra is afraid to have someone stand up and have the debate then I don't want to be part of that process - I think it's disgraceful.

"I don't want to just stand up in front of the Prime Minister when it's about issues that impact Indigenous people and nod my head."

Ms Scrymgour said she wished Nova Peris well but that the Prime Minister had made a huge mistake.

"I've tried to go through a process here because I've always believed in the values of the Labor party, but yesterday's exercise left a very sour taste in my mouth," she said.

When asked if she would consider running as an Independent, Ms Scrymgour said she was not discounting anything.

Former Chief Minster Paul Henderson said the road ahead for Nova Peris would be a struggle without the support of the Territory Labor Party.

"For Nova, good luck to you," he said.

"For every politician who is going to run for the Labor party, to know the party is behind you is absolutely essential.

"There's going to be a lot of fences and bridges that need to be built when she gets back to the Territory."

'Tokenistic'

Independent Member for Nelson Gerry Wood and Minister for Transport Adam Giles also weighed into the debate, calling the Prime Minsiter's decision 'tokenistic'.

"There is already a strong Aboriginal candidate for preselection, Marion Scrymgour, and if the Prime Minister wants an Aboriginal person then she should have asked Nova to put her name down as well and let local Labor make the decision," Mr Wood said.

"It's not about whether Nova is suitable for the job, she might well be a good senator, but to be appointed rather than preselected will always be seen as tokenistic rather than an appointment based on merit."

Adam Giles said the Prime Minister's endorsement was highly derogatory for Indigenous Territorians.

"This is a race-based attempt to try get some sort of tokenistic measure," he said.

"This racial issue which has come about, and was the complete message the Prime Minister gave yesterday, leaves a bad taste in my mouth because it says we are not good enough to compete on an equal playing field so we have to be parachuted in."